Orphan radiogenic noble gases in lunar breccias: evidence for planet pollution of the Sun?

Abstract

Surface-correlated noble gases in lunar soils are primarily implanted SW (solar wind) noble gases. However, they also include apparently orphan radiogenic 40Ar, 129Xe, and 244Pu-derived fission Xe in excess of plausible primordial solar origin. These orphan radiogenic components are usually assigned a lunar origin, in a scenario in which radiogenic noble gases produced in the lunar interior were degassed into the transient atmosphere and then re-implanted to the lunar surface together with SW. There are some quantitative difficulties with this scenario, however, and it requires special constraints on the degassing history of the Moon that have not emerged from more general thermal history models. We therefore urge consideration of alternative hypotheses. As a possible source for the orphan radiogenic noble gases, we have examined planetary pollution of the Sun, as suggested by studies of extrasolar planetary systems (e.g., Murray et al., 2001, Astrophys. J. 555, 801–815; Israelian et al., 2001, Nature 411, 163–166). Pollution of the Sun by 2 M ⊕ (two Earth mass) planetary materials (Murray et al., 2001, Astrophys. J. 555, 801–815) is likely not significant for Ar but could be important to account for orphan Xe in the Moon.